This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/624,773, filed Nov. 3, 2004. The present invention relates to relatively thin-walled metal poles, and, in particular, to a hybrid metal pole with a multi-sided, polygonal upper section over a substantially circular lower section. With a thin-walled pole, the wall thickness generally is less than one-tenth of the pole diameter. Note that, while steel is used in the example, the design could be made of other types of metal as well.
While there are many structural benefits to a multi-sided pole, it is very difficult to fabricate such a pole from a very heavy gauge metal. Of course, as the pole becomes larger, the wall thickness must become greater in order to support the pole and its loadings. Due to the difficulty of fabricating multi-sided poles from heavy gauge metal, once the size of the pole requires a heavier gauge material, a circular cross-section generally is used. However, a circular cross-section pole lacks many of the structural advantages of a multi-sided pole.